Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Romans 8:14-17.

 

“¹⁴  For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

 

¹⁵  For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba!  Father!”

 

¹⁶  The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,

 

¹⁷  and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”  Romans 8:14-17.

 

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“See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God;  and such we are.  …  Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be.  We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.  And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”  1 John 3:1-3.

 

Our position as children of God is based only on God’s grace.  To be these children of God, we must be born of God.  We can’t achieve it through bloodlines or free-will.  God elects those to be His children based on His own choice, not based on any condition supplied by man (such as works or free-will faith) to motivate God to choose him or her.  In other word, our position is based on “Unconditional Election”, the “U” of “TULIP”.  “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”  John 1:12-13. 

 

To be these children of God, we did not earn such a position through obeying the Law.  We became sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and the role of the Law was to lead us to Christ.  “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.  But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”  Galatians 3:24-26.

 

So now that we are sons of God and heirs through God, we are no longer slaves to the Law leading to fear again.  “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.  Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”  Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son;  and if a son, then an heir through God.”  Galatians 4:4-7. 

 

“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”  Luke 12:32